CK One: The World's Most Memorable Fragrance Ad?

Upon returning from a fabulous Colombian vacation (get jealous) I was watching my DVR'd episode of * Jersey Shore* (OK, not that jealous) and saw a commercial for CK One that seemed like a total throwback to the ones that ran in the 1990s. That's because CK One has always rocked that same aesthetic: black and white photography, languid, long-limbed models dancing, topless dudes in tight jeans, a British accent thrown in somewhere. It's a great signature, and really does make you remember the ads—if not individually, then in their general tone.

It got me thinking of other fragrance ads that are just as—or even more—memorable. For me, one is Sofia Coppola's first Miss Dior Cherie spot, which captured the carefree day of a Parisian beauty; the soundtrack ("Moi Je Joue," sung by legendary beauty Brigitte Bardot) was just right; and every color onscreen was soft and feminine, much like the scent itself. It was a joy to watch.

Less of a joy, was a Windsong commercial I strongly recall from my childhood. Remember, when the woman riding a bike in a very short dress (impractical!) sends a musked note to a Herb-Ritts-rip-off sweaty dude, and he runs out of work (at a mill, no less) to find her? First off, why is he getting personal mail at the mill? (And what is his job? It looks like he's just using random mechanical equipment to show off his muscles.) Secondly, the woman took her bike riding way too seriously. Look at her face. It's as if she's contemplating unsolved math theorems. Of course, her name was Kate, adding to my fury. The piece de résistance was the jingle, which had a very Mannequin 2: On the Move vibe. The commercial was such a cheese factory. (Is that where the guy worked?) But like the annoying song said, the Windsong did stay on my mind. I remember almost everything about that commercial more than a decade later.